How is your business helping to solve the health, social, or economic challenges created by COVID19?
With Covid-19, many farms have seen their business decline by 50% or more overnight as consumers have shifted purchasing away from restaurants, schools, corp cafeterias etc. to eComm/Online and grocery stores. Further farmers markets are also suffering.There are 2.1MM small, family owned farms in the U.S.A. With challenges and uncertainty re the conventional food supply chain (outbreaks in packing and shipping facilities , migrant worker challenges etc), the last thing we want is for our farms to stop planting and producing (same for dairy, meat and shelf stable).We are going to need them, now more than ever. Providing healthy fresh food at the local community level is critical to our well-being, diets, and more. Having ready and easy access to local food is now more important than ever; and we must protect and sustain our local food economy.Since Forager is the digital pipeline for grocers and institutions to source locally, by making more connections to farms, providing farms the technology to put their products on line and enabling the entire order through payment process, all virtually, we most definitely will impact our local food system in a significant manner.We are also engaged in a few other key Covid-19 related initiatives (see for example https://goforager.com/covid19-strategy
Does your business contribute most to recovery, response, or resilience?
Response - we're responding directly to issues caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 outbreak.
What is the stage of your product development?
I have a market ready product/service. I have sold to customers.
What strengths does your team bring? Include skills and personal experience with the problem.
Founder is a highly successful serial tech entrepreneur with $250MM in succesful exits. Our Founder has an excellent track record in signing large retailers (e.g. The Home Depot, Starbucks, Best Buy, CVS, Target) and building long term relationships with them.He has also has raised over $50MM in capital.Other ream members bring a variety of highly relevant skills and experience.1) Head of sales experience i base is in the food, grocery and food service sector2) Customer success manager has been a grocery and produce head buyer at several grocery stores and has been working with farms in several states, purchasing from them directly3) Our Marketing head came from my prior start-up and has excellent experience working with some of the nation's top retail brands.4) Our advisory Board includes on of the nation's leading grocery consultants and thought leaders -- https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilstern/#6ce528c94d6e
What countries do you operate in?
USA
Is your company headquartered in a US "Opportunity Zone"?
No
